Assala Nasri and Faeq Hassan: kiss on camera in the US splits fans online
A video of Syrian singer Assala Nasri kissing her husband, Iraqi poet Faeq Hassan, in the US has split social media users during her October tour.
Assala Nasri (archive photo) — Photo: Dawn Elder / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
A short video showing Syrian singer Assala Nasri and her husband, Iraqi poet Faeq Hassan, sharing a kiss in front of cameras while in the United States has set off a lively debate on social media.
Critics argued that couples in the public eye have no need to put such moments on display. Married life, they said, should stay out of public view.
Others saw nothing more than ordinary affection between a husband and wife. They said the gesture fell within the pair’s personal freedom and pushed back against the judgments some followers pass on artists’ behaviour. The exchange has revived a wider discussion about the private lives of celebrities and how much of them should be shown on camera.
The footage surfaced as Assala wrapped up a three-date concert tour of the United States in October 2026. It opened on Oct. 23 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, moved to Newark Symphony Hall in New Jersey on Oct. 30, and closed at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on Saturday, Oct. 31, where the show was scheduled for 8 p.m.
The Los Angeles night produced its own viral moment. A young boy climbed onto the stage with a rose for the singer and told her in English that he loved her. Assala joked that he should keep his distance and not kiss her, so that her husband Faeq Hassan would not become jealous, drawing laughter from the audience.
Born in Syria, Assala began singing as a child under the guidance of her father, composer and singer Mostafa Nasri, and has released more than 20 albums.
